CHAPTER NINE
KENDALL
COAL GOT OUTSIDE LASTnight. I could neither find him when we looked before bed, nor when I woke up early this morning. It’s my punishment for being an awful wife, I’m sure. I tried to focus on Spanish lessons with Leo and Snider, a new student who joined after Hatton left for the west coast, but my mind was elsewhere. The only good thing that came from it today was that the awkwardness last night that could have born was erased because of my cat’s escape.
Margaret just emailed me back to let me know I could leave early to go look for Coal because there is a huge snow storm coming. I’m panicked I won’t find him before we get a few feet of snow. He’ll be buried. Adam tried to comfort me saying that Coal would find a hiding spot and hunker down, but that didn’t help my nerves.
Snider is on target with lessons now so both men are working on the same test at the moment. The competition is evident in the way they hold the tablets and zone into the questions. I’m not sure if they’re in unspoken competition to finish first or to get a better grade, but I figure I can use their nature to help them learn. Everything is a competition for these guys. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s always friendly, as they’re friends, but the desire to be the best in everything leaks out of them in spades.
“Guys, Margaret said I could leave a bit early today so I can go home and look for my cat before the snow comes. I hope you don’t mind.”
Leo’s head pops up from his screen. “I told you I’d come help you look,” Leo says.
I nod. “Yeah. You don’t have to, Callaway. I appreciate the offer, though.”
He shakes his head and mutters something under his breath. Snider grins. I’m out of this joke for sure. I sigh and pull up a browser to research how to make an outdoor cat box with a heating pad. I need a huge rubber tub. The hardware store is thirty minutes away. The snow is already pouring out of the sky—a heavy flow that will only increase as the day beats on.
“Callaway,” I call, interrupting him again. He quirks a brow as reply. “Can I have a word?”
He makes a loud spectacle as he slides his chair backwards and stands. “Of course. I’m only taking a test right now.”
Snider laughs again, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth as he gets ahead in their game.
I wave at him to come around my desk. “I need to make this. Do you have a big box that I could have? Something over in the storage building, maybe?”
Leo places his hand on the back of my chair as he leans over to scope out what I’m showing him. His fingers touch my back. Does he know I feel him? Is it a purposeful move to touch me? To give me comfort? I’m staring at the side of his face when he finally nods. “I have all of that. Let me finish the test and we can go over there and build it quickly. It will only take a few minutes. I have the supplies in my locker. Try not to worry, Simmons. Cats are clever.”
He’s still a baby. I can’t believe he’s clever when he’s so tiny. “I know,” I say instead. “Thank you so much. I owe you.”
He laughs. “Soup repayment.”
“Oh, yeah. Okay.”
He heads back to his chair and, once seated, runs both of his hands through his hair. He looks frustrated. Surely it isn’t because of my test. It’s easy. Snider finishes first and Leo fidgets in his seat—irritated. I grade it quickly, and only have to mark a few wrong because of spelling errors. Snider seems happy with his grade.
“Alright, you two. Keep warm in the snow. I hope you find your cat, Simmons.”
“Check the website to see if we’ll have class tomorrow,” I remind Snider. “If we’re buried overnight, they might close the base down. You know that already, though.” I’m the new person here. This is old hat for the SEALs.
“Roger that,” Snider says, being polite. To Leo he says, “Try not to get so distracted next time, loser.” Snider leaves my room laughing.
Leo finishes about five minutes later. Zero mistakes.
“Wow,” I say, recording his perfect score. “You really got this lesson,” I remark.
“Yeah, had a lot of time for studying when I was sick.”
“Makes sense,” I say, clearing my throat. This is the first time we’ve been alone all day and my confidence slips. “Hey, um. I just. About last night. I had too much to drink.”
He nods. A slight smirk on his face. “Don’t mention it. Another IOU paid after my medicine drunk tirade, right?”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “Yeah, so we’re definitely even now. Fair and square.”
“Ready?” he asks, standing. Leo grabs his cap and turns to face me.
I smooth my skirt down, grab my purse from the bottom drawer, and scoop up my jacket and gloves. He opens the door for me as I bundle up. I know to get to the cages we need to walk along a pathway outside. The cages are individual lockers each SEAL is assigned to keep their gear and uniforms. “Will they let me in?” I ask. “I don’t have the other badge.” They have a different badge than I do.
“You’re with me. You don’t need to badge in.” I step on a slick section of sidewalk and Leo steadies me, reaching out quickly to grab my elbow. “It’s really coming down now,” he remarks, instead of commenting on my clumsiness.
